The Greater Mystery
by pteroscript
Summary: Kuroba and Kudo knew what they wanted, but aren't so sure now that they have it. This is as close as you'll get to a happy ending when a corpse-attracting teen detective and a dramatic teen thief get involved with each other. Fem!Shin/Kaito
1. Truth

**Disclaimer**: Right, so I don't own any of these characters, even though I desperately wish I did; Gosho Aoyama does. All credits to him for their creation and the original events in the plot that I constantly refer to. This fic though, is a figment of my own imagination.

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Don't be too hard on me now. I haven't done that much creative writing, but would like to start.

Warnings: NO YAOI, female Shinichi, KaiShin, some sexual references and violence. This fic is starting off at T. If more mature things are integrated, I'll up the rating.

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**Prologue**

"I really fail to understand why you continually run to the roof as a method of escape."

Kaito Kid nearly started, then settled back down to the oh-so-cumbersome task of setting off traps as the police moved about in the floors below him. "Ahhhhh.…" he murmured.

"With your skills handling a hang glider, you could jump out of any window for a quick, showy escape. Why run up here, where you are more visible, and where I will most likely turn up?" the diminutive detective continued from a spot behind the thief.

Having wreaked more than enough havoc for the night, Kid activated one last system, one that would destroy all the light bulbs on the 52nd story of the skyscraper (where Nakamori and his team were still on a wild goose chase after a remote-controlled balloon) causing a rain of glass and Kaito Kid- capes, which would probably leave the entire taskforce in enough mayhem to allow him plenty of time for an escape.

"Magicians like to have a bigger stage, tantei-kun." The white-clad figure finally replied to the question. Immediately following, he jumped off the railing he had been perched precariously upon. Conan followed suite, having made sure ahead of time to get a paraglider for this event. Desperate to follow the light speck that was already fading away into the midnight, the detective tugged frantically at two handles in the front of his pack, near his shoulders. No response.

_He must've taken the chance to mess with the mechanisms earlier when he helped me up in his girl's disguise_. The remembrance of the event and realization of failure to recognize the opportunity Kid has seized was heavy upon Conan, but there was nothing to do but to sit back on a slow drift back down the 100-some stories.

Far away, Kid grinned at his apparent victory like the mad idiot that he was, before realizing that the world….seemed…hazy…

_Dammit, when did that chibi find the chance to shoot at me with his watch?_

**Chapter 1**

An owl-eyed detective walked into the living room at 7 A.M and picked up the newspaper, adjusting a toothbrush between teeth. The B.O. had been defeated only a month ago, with the arrest of Gin, Vodka, and a dozen other members. At wit's end, Kudo had devised a plan that would hold off the organization for at least a few weeks after the FBI had suffered rather badly because of a careless mistake when dealing with the black-clothed men (and women). However, Gin assumed that Kudo better tricks than what was apparent, and directed most of his forces and attention elsewhere.

The FBI had broken through their defenses, to their own amazement, and managed to ambush the main force of that organization at its lab and working center. Multiple people dressed up in bulletproof vests and disguised themselves as Kudo or Haibara to confuse them, and it had worked better than they'd expected.

Gin had shot a few of them, and some lost limbs or broke bones, but there were no deaths due to an explosion they had purposely set off in the center of the area storing chemicals (careful to avoid stashes of apoptoxin, as Kudo had ordered them to leave that area alone).

Most of the members were given lifetime sentences. Bourbon, who had actually not cared at all about the organization (and as a result had covered for Shuichi Akai multiple times), and Vermouth, who had been secretly wanting out for a rather long time (and used her silver bullet to achieve her goal), disappeared entirely, most likely to resume life under different names and personalities elsewhere. Kir was reunited with Eisuke for a while, then went off to do more work the CIA, but visited as often as she could.

Haibara had found a permanent antidote for apoptoxin, and Kudo had promptly taken it. She however, continued to put it off, declaring that she wanted more test subjects, or some such nonsense. Kudo suspected that she simple wanted to keep the family she had found in Agasa and the Shounen Tantei.

Oh, and Jodie-sensei was happily with Shuichi Akai. Both fatal gunshots had been faked with a great deal of food coloring and quick movement. The fingerprints had not been his to begin with – someone else, a lower-down member of the Black Org was the one whose dead body was found.

Life was boring. Until the meitantei saw the headlines of the morning paper- "Kaitou strikes again? Detectives and police scrambling for solution of the newest mystery".

Kudo skimmed down to the only thing that was really important in the report:

Fair Illyria does no disservice

Her joyous tears upon The stage so great

At its last chance for lovers trysts

Go to what you will; don't guard the gate.

The teen reread the riddle over a fifth cup of dark morning coffee, thoughts shooting through at a rate more immeasurable than that of light.

An all-knowing smirk spread across Kudo's face as the last few pieces missing from the puzzle practically fell out of the sky and onto the paper. Finally, a challenge had presented itself again. Things were getting too quiet with the B.O. gone.

Shinichi frowned. Technically, Kaitou Kid should no longer be thieving. Vermouth had dealed with the section of the B.O. that had chased after Pandora (they were nearly a separate group of their own, but not quite – they had enough ties to B.O for them to also be incarcerated). She'd revealed that she had long ago found Pandora, gotten immortality, and subjected the gem (which had been a diamond worth trillions) to constant abrasions against millions of small pieces of diamonds, until it had been reduced to powder.

Well, why Kaitou Kid thieved anymore wasn't really Kudo's problem. Detectives just needed to chase after thieves. And catch them.

* * *

The target? A collection of diamonds in a chandelier (they were once set in a ring that had been "for a grieving Olivia") in the largest auditorium in the only impressively large concert hall in Tokyo that would have the Shakespearean play _The Twelfth Night_ on within the next month or so.

The thief? Kaitou Kid had flown in during the last act of the last showing of the play in Japan that year, apparently through a window, and snatched the diamonds off the chandelier in a blast of pink smoke, given a quick, but very elaborate bow, then apparently did a gymnastics flip through the other side. One of the least showy of his heists so far.

And the detective chasing him? Kudo had woken up that morning with a severe headache and aching body, but dragged that same aching body to the heist out of sheer determination. Said detective was now running towards the roof.

Quietly letting the door close behind, Kudo was hit by a wave of déjà vu at the sight: a white figure, silent upon the railing, the world at his feet, the moon in his eyes.

"You really do love the roof." A silence followed, which both thief and detective honored.

"I can't believe that Lupin wasn't enough, and you NOW want to become a 21st century Robin Hood." The detective's rambling lacked emotion, and was given in a mumble that Kid barely caught.

"Glad to see you figured out that I only stole the jewels for their worth as family heirlooms for poor Fuji-obaa-san. They've only been in undeserving hands since leaving her family two generations ago. Though, aside from that, I also want to know…the answer to a greater mystery…" The criminal was oddly quiet. This continued lack of apparent want for attention was confusing Kudo a bit, though the kaitou's wish to return things to their intended place was also somewhat understandable.

Another peaceful silence ensued. It may have lasted unbroken for quite some time, if a sudden light-headedness had not struck Kudo. The detective reached out to the nearest section of railing for support, then leaned his center of gravity over it as nausea crashed over him. Before even aware, the teen was falling…falling…

The last things Kudo remembered before succumbing to darkness were the feeling of wind rushing from beneath him, and a sudden, accepting warmth.

* * *

The Kaitou had acted entirely upon instinct when he saw his beloved adversary toppling into the unknown below. Déjà vu struck him as well, and he nearly smiled, even in the current situation, at the remembrance of the detective's adventures with him when he was still the travel-sized Conan.

Kid had strained himself forward, his only thought saving Kudo, whether his hang glider could carry them both or not.

Catch. Grasp. The lawbreaker held onto the burden beneath him like a lifeline, somehow managing to also maneuver the hang glider about high buildings while pulling the detective's body close to his own. His house happened to be only three blocks away. He didn't want to reveal his identity to anyone, but he also knew that the detective, who was alarmingly light in his arms, had a strict code of honor like his own, and that he might be dangerously sick, if the paleness of his face earlier had been any indication.

Arms full of a certain unconscious detective, Kid landed smoothly upon the familiar second-story secret balcony that led to the "workshop" as he liked to call it – once his father's office, now his own. He quickly walked through the doorway that the reversible pictures of his father yielded to – the one that gave entrance to his own bedroom.

Quickly setting the metantei upon his mattress, the kaitou gave the figure a cursory look to make sure there were no large, gaping, bloody wounds to bandage. Satisfied that there weren't, the kaitou decided to put his basic medical training to good use, and take a pulse. Though it was decidedly weaker than normal, the teen's pulse was steady, but a quick touch of the forehead proved that a fever was one thing plaguing him.

Kaitou trotted quickly to the other side of the room, completely serious and rather fearful, to retrieve a thermometer from his basic medicines cabinet. Having gotten what he wanted, he nearly ran back to the bedside, and decided that the tantei's long-sleeved white button-up shirt would get in his way.

No other way but to take it off, he reasoned, and with deft fingers, almost before he had made this resolution, had the most of the buttons undone. Then, he looked up a bit, and realized that there was something wrong. Very wrong.

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My first attempt at posting fanfic for others to read, and my first time writing fanfic for manga/anime. R&R please! (advice would be helpful )


	2. People

Disclaimer: don't own DC/MK

sorry for the late updates. PSAT, you know. And thanks for reading and reviewing.

DLizz: Happy birthday! I meant to post in the morning for you, but it's still Saturday, right?

Kuroi no kaze: Well, that isn't exactly what happens...

Oh, and this chapter is really information-dense. Can't wait to get past this so I can get to the good stuff - the actual plot and stuff.

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Chapter 2

Two hours later, Kaitou Kid, having shed nearly all items of clothing that made up his night uniform, was perched anxiously at his chair, watching a girl serenely breathe in and out, still unconscious on his bed. He thought back.

_The bandages and that thin waist were proof enough: the Kudo Shinichi that Kid had deemed his greatest opponent was a girl, and a beauty at that. That would explain how light she was. _

_The master of disguises looked more closely at his – her face, and noticed several things that were distinctly off. There was light makeup on her face, to make her delicate features slightly more masculine. There weren't the slightest signs of stubble upon her smooth chin. Her hairline was just slightly odd. The thief recognized the presence of a wig, which he tugged off to reveal silky, layered brown-black hair that neatly tumbled to a few inches beneath her shoulder, and was ever so slightly wavy. He looked down to the wig, realized that it must have been made from her own hair, and set it down with a sigh._

_As he bathed her forehead (her fever had risen to 104 degrees, and was gradually getting beneath 102 as he worked. She was also, apparently, suffering from a certain feminine problem), he took the chance to wash off her makeup. _

_That being done, he sat back and wondered how and why: Was Kudo original ly a guy or a girl? If he/she was a guy, then how exactly had he ended up like…that? And, if he/she was a girl, why pretend to be a guy?_

_So much mystery. There was so much that he didn't know about the only detective who had ever completely figured out what he was looking for and why. Kudo had been a good enemy, which, they said, was the next best thing to a good friend. With the closing of that case with the B.O., he had felt a part of his identity become lost, and knew that someone at least would understand how he felt. He and Kudo had both lost a goal in life, because they had finally reached it._

_That was when he began to feel empty. He was afraid- afraid that he no longer had any reason to keep up his Kaito Kid act, afraid that he would now become no different from anyone else, afraid that he would become _unimportant_, and, though he would never admit it, he was terrified that he wouldn't be able to see Kudo anymore. Like it or not, he had grown oddly attached to the teen tantei. Maybe it was just mutual understanding, maybe rivalry, maybe even a desire to be friends. Whatever it was, he now wanted to ensure the Holmes's safety._

Kid sighed. Time seemed to have slowed to a crawl. Suddenly, the detective's eyelids flickered. He quickly pocketed the cards he had subconsciously pulled out of his pocket and practiced with while bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Kudo groaned softly. Where was she? A sudden downpour of memories upon her helped some.

_Oh, right. I fell. And someone caught me – KAITOU KID!_

She looked around blearily, finally focusing her exquisitely double-lidded, beautifully lashed blue eyes upon the figure slightly to her right. Her guard was up, though her mask was slightly fractured by her realization that her wig and makeup were both gone. Her light-headedness didn't seem to help much either.

The teen detective blinked in surprise, her mask slipping yet again, at the glass of water the thief had suddenly proffered, seemingly drawing it out of nowhere. It made no sense for the thief to tend to her wounds and then poison her, so she accepted gratefully. The first sip proved her thirst, and she drank deeply, taking a second to swallow the pills Kid held out with his other hand.

For the second time that night, silence reigned. Neither really knew what to say to the other. Kudo was aware that Kid wanted an explanation, and she actually felt inclined to give him one. He had really earned it by saving her and finding out her secret himself. Kid, on the other hand was trying to tame his raging curiosity and find a way to phrase his questions more delicately.

Kid lifted his eyes to her face, saw how torn she was behind the Poker Face that she had re-erected and said "You don't owe me or the world an explanation, you know."

Kudo, now alert for what would follow that revelation, unconsciously leaned forward a bit.

The magician swallowed. He cleared his throat apprehensively and continued, "You wanted to know why I chased after random jewels, then returned them, but you never forced an answer from me. Neither did you stop looking for the answer, and you did eventually find out, but I didn't have to defend myself from your interrogations or suppositions, so I won't be unfair and force you to."

A small but genuine smile of gratitude spread across Kudo's face.

"Thank you, but I wish to explain myself, Kuroba-san." The one to whom this was directed wasn't too surprised at her revealing that she knew his name, and nodded his head to acknowledge it . He had known that it was only a matter of time before Kudo found out his identity, after realizing the reason for his heists and the fact that the original Kaitou was not the same as the current one, but that they were somehow related.

" I am not an only child; my older twin brother is the real Shinichi, but he lives under a different name on the silverscreen, while I assumed his identity for our mutual safety. My father helped me destroy all files concerning my very existence when I was 8, creating false documents for my brother as a distant relative at the same time. Thus, it was no difficult task to replicate what we had done when I became Conan a few years ago. "

"When needed, my brother steps in, becoming 'Shinichi' for short periods of time to prevent my gender from being found out, and filled that same spot several times after I shrank as the result of an unfortunate meeting with the Black Organization."

Kuroba had blinked several times during this revelation, taking in the information, and here he broke in, "The Shadow Syndicate."

"Yes, some call them that. I've spent the past few years finding them out and tearing them down. I have to admit, your intentional appearances as bait helped me in my investigations more than once, though you may not have realized it at the time. "

Kudo paused before lowering her voice and continuing sadly "Before I got involved with the B.O., I was content living the life of an amateur detective, solving multiple simple cases. When I caught their attention, my life suddenly revolved around their demise, and now, with my goal completed, living like I did before seems slightly…meaningless."

"Tell me about it," deadpanned Kid, who had somehow managed to remain serious for the entire night.

Detective and thief gazed at each other, similar mournful expressions showing through their respective broken Poker Faces.

They had finally found understanding.


	3. Dinnermates

Sorry guys. This has been on hold for so longs. It was just with all the AP classes and tests last year, I was too busy at first, and then I just forgot about this story. Oh well, here's the next one. I'll try to get in some more this week. As always, R&r, please?

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Chapter 3

A very wearied detective kneaded her forehead and sighed as she watched a line of police cars carrying the criminal from the crime scene. It was a week after the meeting with Kaito, and Kudo was walking down the street in the aimless way she had taken to after the tearing down of the B.O., and a dead man flew at her. Literally, of course. The case really had no interesting points about it. It had a simple, straightforward solution involving an imitation wizard's wand and the dead man's mistress's ex-husband's cousin. Well, she mused, perhaps the sheer complexity of family relations with the victim and criminal made the case original. It was all a web of confusing jealousies, affairs, old grudges, and favorites.

Speaking of family, she hadn't heard from her brother in far too long. She'd had nothing romantic to say to Ran in her brother's place. Taking out her phone, she flipped through for the last text message she had gotten from him. As she scrolled down her contacts list, she stopped in her tracks (she had been slowly migrating from the crime scene) as she saw a new name smack in the center of her ridiculously long list. _Kaito Kuroba._ Dammit. She should've seen that earlier. The quick-handed thief must've entered his number while she had used his restroom.

Her memory led her back to that fateful night as she continued on her way. She cursed herself for not noticing her rising temperature, since that was what had revealed her gender, and yet was thankful that she had found a kindred spirit in her opponent. She hadn't really wanted to remember that talk with him, and yet had really wished to relive it. Actually, she just wasn't sure what she thought anymore.

"_Can you live like this forever?"_

"_What will you do when the rest of the world finds out?"_

"_Can you go on?"_

The thief had asked many questions, most of which were difficult to answer, some of which had left the detective wondering herself.

"_Who are you really? What is your name?" _

"_The first you can only find out for yourself. The second, I will tell you when I will."_

Pensive, she crossed the street, allowing her feet to carry her wherever they wished.

"_I can't believe that there are three people with my face walking around. Two was crazy enough."_

Kudo could not help a smile from crossing her face as she recalled that complaint. The thief had his pointer finger aimed somewhere between his nose and mouth and had worn the most comically depressing expression. It had been the only laughing moment of the conversation.

Her feet stopped, and Kudo, confused, looked up and swore. Somehow, she had ended up in front of the Kuroba residence. Seeking a scientific explanation, she decided that a week's worth of subconscious wishes had shown themselves and forced her here. Immediately, she threw that idea aside. She wasn't ready to accept that she enjoyed the company of a criminal. At least, not just yet.

The house really did look somewhat different in this light, though. She had only seen the outside when she had shown herself out, minutes before dawn, right after waking to find a silently asleep, well-worn out thief on the same chair he had remained perched upon throughout their talk, apparently having dozed off with her during one of the silences that night.

She had remained still on the lawn, immersed in this silent soliloquy. As she turned back, ever so slightly reluctantly, the teen found herself looking into purple-tinted eyes, reminiscent of the night sky.

She nearly jumped, but just barely grabbed onto her slipping Poker Face, and re-erected it before Kaito could notice.

"Hmmm…back from school?" she said, more of a statement than a question.

"Yeah. I had no idea meitantei-chan was so smitten with me, she would even cut school to see me." the thief mused aloud in a playful tone, no traces of the maturity he had once displayed.

"Psshhh. Dream on. I was actually pondering my reasons for not marching in and arresting you. You international criminal."

"Because of my dashing good looks?"

"Uhhh…lemme think about that…NO. Narcissism is not among my many faults. I was thinking of your mother, actually."

"Well, I'm sure that she would repay you by welcoming her future daughter-in-law with open arms."

Thus saying, Kaito dragged a struggling tantei behind him through the door, Kudo all the while protesting loudly, breaking from the hushed voices they had used in their dialogue.

"Ta-dai-ma! 'kaa-san, look who I brought home." Kaito employed a rather silly sing-song voice.

Kudo found herself facing a woman of about the same age as her own mother, though shorter, and holding a wooden cooking spoon in her hand. She immediately found herself subjected to what seemed thirty years of scrutiny, though it was much closer to 30 seconds.

"Kudo-kun, isn't it? It really has been a long time."

"Yes, it has been a long time. I'm surprised you still recognize me, obaa-san."

"Well, there aren't that many people who look near exactly like my son. Of course, I wouldn't forget, even if we haven't met since…" Here he voice broke, and it was clear she was keeping tears from her eyes.

"Yes, that is true. And, though they be ten years late, my condolences to you." "Shinichi" offered sympathetically.

"Oh, of course, and mine, for your sister. I of all people know how it is to lose one close to you."

Kaito glanced at Kudo here, with the tiniest hint of a smile, too small to be detected by his mother.

"How did you come across Kaito today, Kudo-kun?" Kaito's mother recovered quickly, and shot a glance at Kuroba, as if to ask "Are you nuts? He's a detective, and a damn good one at that."

Kaito rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "He knows, 'kaasan, and since I'm not in handcuffs already, you may be assured that out friendship ensures I will not end up in jail by his hand."

"Acquaintanceship, Kuroba-kun. Good friends that our families were, it was inevitable that we met occasionally." Kudo shot back at Kaito.

Kaito creased his forehead and searched his memory desperately at this, but couldn't seem to remember anything about family friends and a boy his age. His frown deepened as his mother and Kudo continued to converse, voices drowning into the background. Shaking his head to clear it of vague reminiscences, the teenage thief broke in.

"Um, 'kaasan? Do you need anything from the store? I could run down now, before it gets too late."

"Yeah, um…could you get some oil and onions, and…oh, just let me write it down for you." She looked about for a pen and paper, but none were in sight. She sighed a bit resignedly.

"Oh, here. You can use this." Kudo quickly offered a pen and notebook, which she produced from the chest pocket of her white Oxford shirt.

"Thank you, dear." Kaito quietly ran up the stairs to change as his mother rambled on. Redecked in a less formal version of his kaitou gear, he emerged in time to hear his mother inviting his almost-twin to stay for dinner. Deciding not to interrupt the two again, Kaito grabbed the torn out, index-card sized sheet of lined paper and ran out the back door.

* * *

Kudo heard the door shutting as she focused upon the widow washing up vegetables next to her, continuing her constant flow of dialogue, or rather monologue, as the conversation was going.

"Kudo-chan." That got the inattentive teen's mind back down to earth.

"Beg pardon?" She asked, slightly incredulous, with a bit of a sinking feeling in her stomach, yet desperately keeping her Poker Face on, hoping she heard wrong.

"Don't give me that. I trust my gut feeling, and my gut feeling told me when you walked in the door that you aren't Kudo-kun. You're his imouto. Knowing the kind of parents you have, you probably faked your own death because someone was out for your head, because of some criminal your dad put in jail. Does Kaito know?"

Kudo looked down, suddenly aware that she had been staring.

"Yes…he does. He found out while working under his persona. What you've just said is all correct, and congratulations. You are the 6th to know about this. Only my mom, dad, brother, and a friend of ours, also my brother's unofficial girlfriend Ran, knew about it. Then, Kid – Kaito found out."

Kudo suddenly became very much engrossed by the tomatoes she was dicing. She was tearing up, but all she could process was a wish that the tomatoes would turn to onions and give her a reason for crying. The person she had been (never mind the pretending part) for the past few years was being seen through. Her disguise was failing, her world crashing down. It was worse than all the heartache from taking down the BO.

A warm hand slid onto her shoulder. Kudo blinked, saving herself. The woman next to her was past the prime of her life, half a head shorter, had lost her husband and could have lost her son, but she was strong.

"Thank you… …"

The tomatoes offered more solace than they could know.

* * *

Kaito was tripping about in the grocery aisles, looking as merry as ever, but tumults were rising in his mind. He had met Kudo before. Some part of him knew it, but he couldn't remember. Odd. Pausing before the oils, he chose the pint instead of the gallon. He wasn't one to let things weigh him down, physically or mentally. Jogging off to the checkout lines, he decided that the memories could wait.

* * *

Dinner was ready, and keeping warm in pots and oven trays. Kudo was slightly anxious now that there was no task to distract her from the attention of Kaito's mother, but she was temporarily relieved by the obaasan walking upstairs.

"Kudo-chan, why don't you come up for a sec?"

Somehow, a sense of foreboding wound into her mind as she headed up the wooden staircase. Why was it that her mother had always sounded like that whenever coaxing Kudo into playing dress up years ago? Dang it…

* * *

Kaito walked into the door laden with food. He stopped dead. His mother was half-dragging, half-persuading a rather embarrassed looking girl down the stairs. Dressed in a cropped white jean jacket cuffed neatly to the elbows over a simple and casual yet elegant dress in a shade of blue to match her eyes, Kudo was absolutely stunning. The lightly applied feminine makeup, unlike her usual disguising kind, highlighted her eyes, her nose, her lips, perfectly. The similarity to himself was still traceable, but not as obvious as before.

It was then that he realized that there was such a thing as looking too good. Her lightly mascaraed gaze met his wondering one. He barely noticed the plastic bags hitting the ground.


	4. On a Date

As promised, here's the next chapter. Things are still going somewhat slow for Kaito and Kudo-chan, but there's an exciting decision in the next chapter. Warning: This chapter is long. R&R please!

* * *

"Sorry if my mom was pushy." Kaito broke in on the uncomfortable silence. Dinner had been pleasant, at least for him, and had been followed with dessert and coffee, which, unsurprisingly, Kudo-chan loved with a passion.

"No, it was good." She hesitated. "The whole 'let's play dress-up' thing was embarrassing, but very familiar." She smiled faintly and looked down at the female clothes she was still wearing. Before heading out the door, Kaito's mom had argued that she should stay in girl clothing until arriving home. She had given up before even trying to fight back, knowing it was useless against that determined tone. Now, though, she felt awkward standing outside her house saying goodbye to Kaito, who was still seated inside the taxi.

"She always did wish she had a daughter."

"Mm. Thank your mom for the food." She paused again, shifting her weight subtly in her heels. "Thank you too. Good night." She turned heel and ran, feeling like a coward, a little scared to admit that she'd actually had fun eating with an international thief and his mother. Family friends, she reminded herself. She was allowed to enjoy the company of family friends.

She walked through her door, not yet mentally prepared for her parents' reaction to seeing her as a girl. What she didn't expect was to see her masculine self, face-to-face. She blinked.

"Hey, 'nii-san. Hollywood not dramatic enough for you?"

"My dear imouto-chan. How I miss your sarcastic wit." Shinichi wrapped her in his long arms and squeezed the living daylights out of her.

"Wait. Is that a dress? Are those 4-inch heels? I knew you didn't grow that tall in a few months. You look like a girl!" She almost rolled her eyes. For someone who shared her genes, her brother could be really slow sometimes.

"Don't tell mom. She'll go neurotic-mom-daughter-shopping-ohmigosh again." She choked out after getting some air. She slipped out of her heels and grabbed them with one hand and her brother's arm with the other, steering them both up the stairs to her third floor room.

"Speaking of which, where are our parents?"

"On a date. You know how they've been."

"So how long are you back for?"

"A week. My manager won't let me go for longer. I accepted an offer to play a role in an upcoming movie, and there's that clothing store that hired me for their spring campaign." He sat down on her cushioned window-seat.

"Have you seen Ran yet?" She asked from behind her slightly-ajar bathroom door.

"I just got here an hour ago. I'll go tomorrow. Should I go as Alaric Song or Shinichi Kudo? Or do you want to go too, otouto-chan?" The last sentence was said in a lilting, teasing tone.

The person in question emerged in a baseball tee and sweats, but with her girl's figure. Considering for a moment, she sighed.

"Go as Shinichi. I'll use a different disguise."

"As a girl? Please?"

"I'll think about it."

The next morning, Shinichi was sitting at the breakfast table with a cup of coffee (love for the drink seemed to run in the family) when his sister finally emerged. They'd woken early to run together, like they had when they were younger. He had finished showering and dressing fairly quickly, choosing to avoid new-found attention from the BO takedown in a t-shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap, Hattori-style, but she had taken nearly an hour. After sorting through the little female clothing she had, and thinking through disguises, she looked thoroughly exhausted. Still, Shinichi thought, her black off-the shoulder tee and tank over white skinny jeans was thoroughly her style, and she blended well into the crowd with highlighted long black hair and brown colored contacts.

With an approving glance, he proffered the extra mug of coffee.

"Is it how I like it?"

"2 spoons sweet hazelnut creamer. And you look great; don't worry." She smiled at him briefly, grateful that he could read her well enough to answer her unstated question, before finishing her warm coffee in a few long draughts. Armed with aviators and a white shoulder bag, she followed her brother out the door.

Ran, dressed in an entirely different ensemble – a short dress with a cardigan and flats - met them in the street beneath her house. Her father was an idiot, but not so much of one that he couldn't tell that Ran's guests both had Shinichi's face. Instead, the three headed to the amusement park – in fact, the same one where over a year ago, Shinichi had run off the pursue the men in black, only to get caught by his manager, and have his sister follow in his place. It had been fortunate, in a way, that she always carried a copy of exactly what her brother was wearing at the moment with her, including shoes with a three-inch hidden heel.

"…cotton candy?"

"Sorry, what were you asking?" She roused herself.

"I was asking if you and Ran wanted any cotton candy."

"I'm good." Like Shinichi, she didn't really like sweets. Her brother ran off to buy some for Ran, who at the moment was in raptures enough to say yes to anything Shinichi asked. It was odd being the third wheel, she mused. Her brother obviously didn't mind her being there, and neither did Ran, but perhaps she would give them a little privacy…after a few rides, she decided.

* * *

It was 2PM, and they had been on a flurry of roller-coasters, swinging pirate ships, and other dizzying rides. They were all three enjoying themselves, sometimes all sitting together at the front, sometimes with Ran and Shinichi holding hands and screaming together at the back while the self-proclaimed third-wheel rode on a silent tide of adrenaline in the front.

Now said wheel was waiting with the bags while her brother and Ran went off for drinks and pizza for all three famished stomachs. Raking through the crowd, she suddenly spotted Kaito at a table close by. She proceeded to immediately begin ignoring him, deciding that she had been spending more time near him than was healthy. When Shinichi and Ran returned and they sat down to their late lunch, she snuck another peek at him, against the better part of her judgment.

He had started eating with a few friends. School friends, she decided, since they seemed to be engaging in gossip about a guy in class 3-B, as far as she could tell with her lip-reading skills. A girl sitting near Kaito, who was addressed as Nakamori-san and Aoko-chan by her schoolmates, was trying to conceal the crush she had on him. He clearly liked her as a friend but wasn't interested in anything else. As she finished her slice of pizza, she continued to watch them stealthily. They were childhood friends, as could be seen from their familiarity with each other. Kaito and Aoko were both well-liked enough, but by no means the most popular. She was too fierce, and he too much of a clown.

Trying not to slurp the last of her iced coffee, she looked up to realize Ran and Shinichi must have been in some emotionally deep conversation and were now as close to making out as they had ever been. Half-hugging, half-clutching each other, Ran was moving her hand over his chest, and was he kissing her hair? She looked away, and at Kaito on instinct. He met her gaze this time, and thinking quickly, she tapped an SOS beat against the back of her chair so that he could see.

Blinking once, the thief got up, taking his tray with him. As he came close to the table the three shared, he pretended to trip, dropping the tray and its contents, and slapping the ground loudly. Ran and Shinichi jumped apart, while Kaito picked himself and his tray (which still held all his trash) up and dusted his pants off. Then, looking and sounding for all the world as though he had only just noticed her, "Oh, meitantei-chan, what are you doing here?" She picked up the conversation.

"My brother is reuniting with his lov – childhood friend. He's been busy with that acting career I told you about, so we decided to take a break and come here to Tropical Land. Are you here with school friends?"

"Yeah." He gestured over his shoulder. "They wanted to take advantage of one of the last times they'll have a breather before some of them take the college admission tests in January." Here Shinichi coughed to interrupt.

"Right. Shinichi, you remember Kuroba Kaito. Kaito, you know my nii-san Shinichi."

"Kaito-kun? The one I used to play with as a kid, right?"

"The very same, at your service." So saying, Kaito gave a mock bow. "Of course, this is the beautiful Ran. Pleased to meet you." He pulled out a pink rose from nowhere and crossed his fingers. He really hoped that she wouldn't put two and two together and figure out that he was Kaitou Kid.

"Pleased to meet you too, Kuroba-san. I had no clue there was another Kudo Shinichi around here." Ran flashed him a gentle smile and took the flower, twirling the stem. He was pretty sure she didn't know.

"Call me by my first name, please. Any friend of meitantei-chan is a friend of mine." He gave the sentence a few seconds before continuing. "Could I join your little party? There was something I wanted to ask her." Ran and Shinichi both welcomed him, and he went back to his table to tell his friends. Nakamori Aoko seemed a little upset and untrusting, but didn't say so outright. Kaito rejoined the three.

"Shall we go? If you are ready that is." Dumping their napkins and paper trays, Kaito leaned over.

"I do actually want to talk to you." He bent his arm, and edged it in her direction. She debated the pros and cons as well as she could in the space of one second before deciding to put her hand on the crook of his arm. It was innocent enough, and it was one of the most gentlemanly gestures anyone had ever made toward her. They followed a little behind Ran and Shinichi. She felt inclined to break the ice first.

"Thanks for coming over and saving me from another awkward moment." She made sure her voice was a low enough murmur to avoid her brother and his sweetheart overhearing. Kaito smiled.

"Anytime."She smiled and gently pushed on his arm while quickening her pace to walk abreast of Shinichi and Ran, who were holding hands and staring soulfully into each other's eyes. It was a miracle they didn't walk into anyone or anything. She cleared her throat to warn them of her interruption.

"Where are we headed, Shinichi?" Her brother was silent. He was clearly dazed by love and had no idea. She smiled.

"What do you think of bumper cars?" Kaito seemed to intuitively know best. The action and concentration necessary for bumper cars would get Shinichi and Ran out of lala-land back into the land of the living.

"I think it would be fun." She made sure to sound supportive but not overly pushy.

"Why not?" Ran looked at Shinichi, who shrugged as if to tacitly agree. Kaito looked down past his arm at her. She glanced up at him, as if to encourage him to go ahead. He walked a little ahead of the rest of them, steering them onto another path.

* * *

"You sure you're alright?" Kaito sounded concerned, but his head was turned to look out the thirty-feet-high-and-rising window to avoid seeing her abdomen as he applied pressure to the gauze on her knife wound. The bumper cars had gone very well...until they had found a dead boy in one of the cars. She hadn't had time to change into her Shinichi disguise, but the case had been simple enough for her brother to solve partially. She had given him the missing pieces, and he had convinced the police of who the killer was. Desperate, he had tried to take her hostage. Before she knocked the razor-like knife out of his hand, the culprit had managed a lucky slash to her left. She had managed to hide the wound from her brother but she realized that Kaito had noticed immediately. He had recommended they get on the Ferris wheel, which was largely deserted nearly three hours before dusk.

She bit back a gasp as she applied disinfectant to the bloody 4-inch gash. Kaito had finally hazarded a look out of the corner of his eye, and after noticing that she had a positively tiny waist (and several scars), winced empathetically. She barely batted an eyelash as she finished up with tape and another gauze square. The cut had been shallow but bloody, and felt much worse than it was.

"We'll head back after this." Kaito decided. She didn't answer, choosing instead to focus on taping the rip in her shirt together from the inside. She sighed. If she was to dress up like a girl any more, she would need more than four shirts. Dumping everything back in her deceptively small bag, she hoisted herself back up on the seat, accidentally letting out a tiny groan in the process. Kaito was instantly on her right. He placed his arm around her and his hand rested lightly on her shoulder, all while keeping a safe distance.

A dull silence passed, in which they admired the view from the top of the ferris wheel and began their descent. Kaito cleared his throat delicately.

"Does that happen often?" She blinked. She took a breath.

"No. I wasn't on guard today. Usually I disarm them in under 10 seconds." Kaito smiled at this, imagining his resilient little meitantei-chan (did he really just think that?) kicking ass.

* * *

She had texted her brother and told him to go on ahead with his almost-girlfriend, knowing that he would notice that something was wrong soon enough if she stayed with them. Kaito had offered to walk her home, obviously not trusting her to be completely alright.

They had just stepped off the bus. Kaito looked around a little, then glanced at her with his "I'm concerned so hurry up and say something dammit" look.

"I'm alright." Kaito did not look at all convinced, and she wished for a moment he wasn't a good enough people-reader to have caught that little wince when she jumped off the bus. Her wound was still bleeding, and it still hurt like a thousand paper cuts.

As if reading her mind again, Kaito gestured at a familiar green and white mermaid sign. "What say you to some coffee? I'll buy." She glanced at him before deciding he was being ridiculously nice. She shouldn't shoot him down, she reasoned, even if this was becoming more and more like a date.

Oh well, she thought, as a waft of coffee-scented wind blew at her. It was nice having someone understand her so well.

"No, I'll buy, as thanks for helping me. And because then, you'll owe me." She gave him a devious lopsided grin.

Kaito stepped in front of her for a second to hold the door open for her before following. It was nice having someone treat her like a girl sometimes too.


	5. Partner

So, to clarify. Other people will constantly refer to our female protagonist as "he" and "Shinichi." She is, however a girl. They just don't know it. Also. Kaito x fem Shinichi is my OTP forever. Sigh.

I'm very sorry for the hiatus. I may or may not have kind of forgotten I was ever writing this...

* * *

"No! That definitely does not count!"

"Does too"

"Does not"

"Does too"

She tried _so hard_ not to giggle, but she knew he could see her mirth written all across her face. Her wound (just skin deep, really) hurt, but even more, she just ached from clenching her stomach, trying not to burst into outrageous laughter.

It had started with looking at the different kinds of coffee beans and their countries of origin. Kaito challenged her to a competition, to see who could name the greatest number of countries with coffee as a major export. And then the conversation took off and got out of hand. They both had an encyclopedia in their heads, and they loved the same subjects. He loved flying, she loved flying. He loved puzzles, she loved puzzles. He loved mysteries, she loved mysteries. And yet their interests skewed slightly - two different angles to everything.

It was so comfortable, so easy. It was easy to squabble over nothing and laugh over nothing. Easy for her to finish her latte and order another, and for him to do the same. So easy for the time to fly by and the sun to go down. She glanced down at her watch and frowned.

"I should be heading back soon." She just hoped her voice didn't sound too wistful.

"Oh, of course." He said. _I really hope I said that nonchalantly_.

Her lips twitched upward into a smirk-smile as she stood. He got the trash like the chivalrous man he tried to be, and they walked out together and got ready to head in opposite directions.

"I had a lovely time. Thank you."

And, gosh, but why was her smile so attractive? It reminded him that he cared about her. For a second, he wanted so badly to draw her a bit closer to him and protect her.

The moment passed. He had a split second to decide how to say goodbye. He kissed her hand and almost drew away. Her smile was gentle, but almost absent-mnded at this gesture. He had to admit it was so habitual for him. It wasn't even touching anymore, was it? He straightened and slowly, oh-so-cautiously, placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her the lightest kiss just on the hollow of her cheek.

And as he did, he remembered.

He smiled at her, willing away the tears threatening him. Too late. She caught his change of emotion and looked at him with some concern.

"Don't mind me. I'm just feeling melancholy." Continued concern

"Really. I'll tell you some other time." Continued concern.

But she nodded anyways, waved and walked away.

* * *

He started walking back too, but as soon as she was out of her line of sight, he broke into a run, making it the last few blocks to his house at breakneck speed. His mom was out, thank goodness. He rushed upstairs and collapsed in his bed.

He _had_ met her before. A long time ago.

When he was about six, he was sometimes ridiculed. He noticed too much, had too many thoughts and ideas and couldn't contain himself. Adults made a big deal out of him and children shunned him. He wanted to hide his abilities, but didn't know how. But then he saw her, one nice Saturday afternoon.

She stood out because she was the only other child in the park without an adult. Other children ran about, but they were tethered to an adult. There was always someone watching them. He was curious, so he approached her.

"Hi! I'm Kaito Kuroba. What's your name?" He had turned the dove perched on his finger into a single white rose (he usually used red, occasionally pink. This was the only time in his life he used white.) She smiled welcomingly at him and took the flower from his outstretched hand.

"Kudo. Kudo Minori." Maintaining eye contact, she tore two petals from the rose, waved her hand over them, and *poof* they became a very small, white flower. She stuck it in his buttonhole.

"I have to give you a gift too." she said as he almost stared in appreciation. He knew how she had done her trick (the same way he had done hers! though a bit more simple, since she didn't have to deal with the dove), but it was surprising to him that she knew any tricks at all.

"We should be partners!" He burst out, unthinking. Her smile widened a bit.

"Fun! But do you want to help me with this hunt first?"

"What hunt?"

Turns out, they were having some sort of detecting scavenger hunt for adults. The lady in front had goodnaturedly let Minori in for free, charmed by her innocent prettiness and manners. And so they spent the next few hours scavenging about. The clues were not too difficult; the only real difficulty was getting to high places, which he found she was very game about climbing to, unlike some of the other girls he knew. They finished second (but they really hadn't been taking it seriously at all) and he hoped he was being charming by letting her pick the prize. She chose gift cards to the bookstore and handed him his. And then they had run to the bookstore, pulling out books all over the store for hours. They read out interesting facts to one another, marvelously free and happy in each other's company, until the sky was turning dark and they needed to return for dinner.

He had kissed her on the cheek that day, too. Then, they had pinky-promised they would see each other again. But they didn't. Not for a long time.

* * *

Dinner was really nice. Her parents were so glad so see them all together again. Ran had gone home to feed her father, and the members of the Kudo household had chatted like old times. starting with the sundries of what was going on with their lives and ending with a breakdown of murder mystery movies. After dinner, they had all sat down. Shinichi dragged their mother away to look at some acting jobs he was considering, and Minori settled in for a quiet cup of tea with her father.

"Shinichi says that you were with Kaito earlier today."

"Yes, we bumped into him at the amusement park. You and his father were friends, yes?"

"Mmm. Old friends. It was hard when he died like that. One of the hardest things I've had to deal with in life." A heavy pause.

"Did you know he was Kid?"

Her father looked at her pensively. No surprise showed on his face that she knew.

"Let's just say that I had my suspicions. But he was such a dear friend, and I could see complex reasons behind everything he ever did. " He took a breath and thought a bit. "His life was difficult, but he had so much fun living it. We used to have the greatest adventures. Did you know that we used to play sidekick to each other? He would pretend to by my distant cousin or something and help me with my cases, and I would do the same for him with his shows. "

Her father told her stories. Such stories. Absolutely outrageous stories. She went upstairs when they were done, head full of adventures and action. Reading the case files she had been sent earlier seemed almost boring in comparison.

She finished the case files, checked her travel preparations for the next day, and settled into bed to watch the news. But even as it played she felt restless. standing up, and sitting back down. She at some popcorn and chocolate, took a break, went back, and was still only half an hour in. She sighed, filled with a sudden desire to see Kaito's mischievous face and ask him questions about his father.

And why not? Filled with sudden resolve, she shrugged into warmer clothing and slipped out.

* * *

Kaito was absent-mindedly shuffling cards, the news on, when he heard a sound from his window. He stiffened, hand immediately on his deck of razor sharp cards and card gun. His hand relaxed when a familiar head peered in. It was his favorite meitantei-chan (he was starting to get used to calling her that in his head.) He rushed forward to give her a hand as she hoisted herself into the room.

"Those suspenders were some invention." He said with admiration and she released them from where she had secured them on his roof. He really needed to have a good chat with that professor sometime. Maybe they could come up with some new ideas between the two of them.

"But so are your gadgets. Remember that night? When we celebrated?" She had been so exhausted that night. She hadn't known whether to laugh or to cry. A burden of years was taken off her shoulders as the B.O. was finally taken down. She had felt so happy, but so sad, and so lost. And then Kaitou Kid had appeared on her window sill, in the bedroom she had not lived in for so long. He had a similar lost look on her face, and he had sought her out because he knew that she would understand. And then he had taken off his top hat and his glasses, his suit jacket, cape, tie and shoes, and he had put down his weapons. He had let his guard down, let her ask him questions, and then asked her questions. She had explained how she had kept her secret (her not-Conan secret, not her not-Shinichi secret), and shown him all Hakusei's inventions, and he had done the same with his hangglider cape, and his cards, and everything else he had on him. Real magicians didn't give away their tricks, he said, but this was technology, and innovation needed to be shared for more innovation.

They both basked in the memory for a moment.

"Minori." He finally broke the silence.

"You remembered. Good. I didn't want to tell you. I was a bit afraid you would laugh. It's so ironic. I live a mess of lies." but that had been one of the moments of her childhood that she had held onto - one memory of being herself. She wanted him to remember on his own.

"You may have to live a lie, but you speak truthfully and act truthfully." He paused. "I've been thinking of that day. I wish we could live it again." He sounded a bit distant, thinking back on a time so long ago. She watched him, quiet.

"Maybe we can." He turned his gaze on her. "Do you want to come with me tomorrow to my case? I'm flying down to take on a case for an old friend's friend. You can be my sidekick. And I'll be yours." and we can be free in each other's company, she almost said (but held her tongue). And she tried not to look at him, so he wouldn't see how much she wanted this.

He barely took a beat. "Yes. " He had looked away and now looked back, straight at her. "I think I would like that very much."


End file.
